


Healing

by madmeridian



Series: Expectations [5]
Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, M/M, Recovery, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26573920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madmeridian/pseuds/madmeridian
Summary: An alternate take on the aftermath of the fight in Expectations
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Series: Expectations [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897828
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	Healing

**Author's Note:**

> From BB: So like can you do one where Mello just won the thing with his father and Near runs up to him like good job, babe. but then, hear me out, the king retaliates by hitting NEAR instead of Mello. Or like, Mello really doesn't believe he's ready for a duel and has to chose Matt or Near to be tortured.
> 
> I chose to do the first part of it bc I really liked the idea! Thank you!

Mello was breathing heavily, suppressing a growl in his throat. His sword point was lightly pressed against his father’s neck. 

He took a careful step back and sheathed his sword, trying to calm his breathing. The fight was over. He’d won. 

_I won. Now what?_

Mello turned around and faced his three allies. Linda and Matt didn’t seem particularly surprised by his victory, but Near’s eyes were alight with relief. Mello surged forward to meet them. 

Near hugged him, arms wrapped tightly around him. Mello pressed a kiss to the top of his head and rested his chin there. They were free. _This can’t be real..._

“You’re an idiot,” Near said. 

“I won.” 

“That doesn’t make you any less an idiot.” Near shook his head, releasing Mello from his iron-grip hug. 

“You could say something nicer. You know, like congratulate me?”

“No.” 

“I will,” Matt said, pulling Mello into a hug and patting his back. 

Mello pulled away, looking around at the people. They were shifting uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. It had been centuries, probably, since a king was dethroned like this. Nobody really knew what to do other than stare. His gaze shifted to Linda, just as her eyes widened in what Mello could only describe as pure horror.

“Near!” 

Mello whirled around as an arc of metal swung towards Near. Mello caught the Omega as he fell, blood seeping from his chest. Odell moved forward to strike again, but Anthony was there, holding him back. 

Near clutched at Mello’s hand, blinking as if he were confused. His pristine white shirt was soaked with red. All Mello could see what red, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the blood or the rage.

“Lock him up,” someone roared “Get a medic over here now.” It took Mello a moment to realize it was himself shouting orders. A team of doctors and nurses bustled over. Matt pulled him away, blocking Near’s body from his view. 

Mello realized his eyes were wet with tears as he watched Near get carted off. His father had been wrestled down into the holding cells of the palace, but Mello wasn’t in the mood to care about his father. 

“Come along,” Linda told him at some point. She’d lead him away from the crowds, through the castle’s halls, to wait outside his and Near’s room. A servant had brought them chairs so they could sit. Linda had given him some tissues, wiping her own wet eyes too. 

It felt like hours, waiting out there. No news on Near’s condition. 

Silence.

Linda had tried to talk to him to make him feel better, but gave up after ten minutes of no response. He had to begrudgingly give it to the Beta for keeping it up that long. Both Matt and Near had said that she was an excellent talker and she’d lived up to it. He might’ve humored her any other time, but he was worried and angry and _tired_. 

Finally, the door opened. The doctor stepped out and bowed. Mello was on his feet in seconds. 

“He’s fine.”

“I want to see him,” Mello snarled. 

“He isn’t conscious yet-” 

“I don’t care.” Mello pushed past, striding into the room. A few nurses were still gathered around the bed, and glared at him, protectively hovering over Near. 

“Let them work,” Linda said, popping up near his elbow. “He’s fine, he just needs care.” 

“I don’t need to you tell me that,” Mello snapped. 

“Then stop glaring at them,” she hissed back. He scowled at her but backed off, staying in the corner of the room to observe them. 

The nurses worked, occasionally glancing back at Mello and Linda. After they were done, Mello rushed over to Near’s side. Near was sickly pale, more so than usual. His eyes were closed and his chest was wrapped with bandages, but he was breathing. 

Linda was hovering next to him, staring down at Near with a similar worried expression. A servant produced chairs for the both of them to sit next to Near. 

“How bad is the wound?” Linda asked the doctor. Mello hadn’t even realized she had followed them in. 

“Didn’t hit anything vital, luckily. He lost quite a bit of blood, but he’ll recover.” 

A small knock sounded at the door, Matt standing there a bit awkwardly. Linda made a small motion for him to come in. 

“Our former king is raging around his new cell,” Matt said, entering the room. “I’ve never seen him so furious and that’s saying something.” 

“If that’s all,” Mello said loudly, pointedly, to the doctor. She bowed and left the room respectfully. 

“Please tell me none of the nobility are arguing it.” Linda looked up at Matt with hopeful eyes.

“Not really. He attacked an unarmed Omega. He fucked himself over the minute he did.” 

“And what do we do with him now?” Mello asked, looking over at Linda and Matt. 

“He isn’t the king anymore. Truth is, you have all the power. It’s up to you.” 

Mello frowned and turned back to Near. The Omega could offer no advice, obviously, but Mello wished he could. He had no clue what to do about any of this.

“You don’t have to worry about it now,” Linda said, patting his arm. 

“Do you want us to go?” Matt asked. Mello shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to be alone here, with only his thoughts and Near’s unconscious form. 

“You should clean up a bit,” Linda suggested. “We’ll just be out here with Near.” 

Mello figured that was Linda’s kind way of telling him he smelled awful. Reluctantly, he got up from his seat and left them to watch over Near. He went and bathed, changing into more comfortable clothes. There wasn’t a chance in hell that he would leave Near’s side, at least not right now.

Of course, when he got out Near was awake, but he looked tired and confused. Linda was whispering to him softly while Matt stood behind her, hands on her shoulders and leaning over to hear what she was saying.

“-and he’s in custody so it’s all fine. No one is opposing Mello right now.” 

Mello heard Near make a soft noise before he turned his glazed gray eyes on Mello. He was blinking slowly, tiredly. Taking that as a cue, Mello moved to sit down next to Near on the bed. 

“You need medical attention,” Matt pointed out bluntly, making Mello frowned at him.

“It can wait.” 

“No,” Near murmured. He didn’t say anything else, but Mello knew better to argue when the steel broke through the hazy look in Near’s eyes. 

“Fine.” Matt brought in one of the nurses, who ordered him to sit still while she stitched him up. Mello stole a few glances over to Near, who was lazily nodding along to whatever nonsense Linda was telling him. He waved off the nurse as soon as she was done, ignoring the scandalized look she gave him. 

Near was asleep again by the time she was finished. Mello settled for sitting next to him on the bed while he rested, quietly talking with Linda and Matt about what they had to do.

༺──────────────༻

  
The next few days were nothing short of a shitshow. The court was in shambles, everyone confused and uncertain about their new king. Well, Mello wasn’t officially yet, but still. Matt and Linda were scarce, managing the mess the four of them had created. Mello had yet to try and speak with his father. He didn’t know what he should say. The man had been left in his cell for nearly a week now and he had no clue whether or not he should go down there. 

Some people tried to tell him he should go reason with Odell, but Near, Matt, and Linda were all adamantly against it until he was sure that he could handle it. 

Not that Mello was focusing on his father. He was more worried about Near, who was slowly recovering. Mello had taken to working in their room part of the time. He hated the office, the office that had echoes of his father’s presence. 

It was in the process of being refurbished. He’d walked in there the first time and walked right back out. He wasn’t going to work there, not until it was completely changed. 

As such, he had a desk moved into their room. He hadn’t been well prepared for the amount of papers piling on his desk. 

Near had been of some help. The Omega was getting bored of sitting in bed with nothing to do. So long as he promised to stay in bed, Mello was content to let Near help him with the paperwork. Near was getting his strength back, the color in his cheeks returning slowly. He still looked unwell, but his mood had improved. 

“Someone told me that I should go see my father again,” Mello said idly, one afternoon when he was laying back next to Near as he read over a file. Mello was more focused on the way Near’s eyes hardened with calculation and understanding as he processed the information on the pages. 

Of course, that expression dropped into something softer when Mello said that. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Near reminded him. 

Mello exhaled loudly, dramatically, and scooted closer to Near to lay his head on the Omega’s shoulder. 

“I don’t know what to do.”

“You don’t have to know.” Near turned back to the paper in his hands. “He’ll be around for a while, Mello. There’s time for you to visit him later if you wish. Maybe this is what you need, some space from him for a while.” 

“He’s my dad and I’m keeping him in a cell.” 

“And you owe him nothing,” Near said, setting the paper down and kissing Mello’s forehead. “It isn’t your responsibility to see him, if it’s not what you want.” 

“Would you come with me, if I asked you?” 

Near let out a small sigh and moved the stack of papers to his bedside table so he could climb into Mello’s lap, careful of his injuries. 

“If that’s what you want.” 

Mello paused. 

“I don’t want to now. I need time.” 

“You have plenty.”

**Author's Note:**

> Jesus fuck I’m behind on everyone’s prompts. Thanks to everyone who’s been patient with me <3
> 
> That being said, I’ve been waiting a while to do this one. I really liked the idea of an alt scene from Expectations! And I’m always soft for Mello being worried about Near so this was practically heaven for me. It was also quite fun to explore Mello’s POV for this. It ended up a bit shorter than I was expecting so maybe I’ll write some more of it at some point? I’m not sure yet but we’ll see if I ever feel like it!
> 
> Any kudos and comments are appreciated! (esp all of you that are still reading these side fics and somehow aren’t bored of them yet <3) I’ll do my best to respond to any comments!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
